Friday, April 16, 2010

I'm writing this article because the "world" is obsessed with fitness routines and losing weight and so on. First of all, HEALTH IS WEALTH.... all would agree to it and should know how to be cautious about their health. We listen to 100 people saying 100 different things about how to keep yourself fit and fine and to workout accordingly. Some of them are confused with heaps and tonnes of suggestions plaguing them while some of them follow their regular routines. And, some...do not EXERCISE!!! With umpteen no. of programs or treatments on weight loss being available, one would wonder why someone should workout when you have such an opportunity. First of all, Not all can afford to go for such treatments and slim down or lose weight. Secondly, even if you go through such procedures like LIPOSUCTION or anything, you will have to maintain your figure/physique by watching your calorie intake. Otherwise, the treatment is almost equal to nothing.

Now....coming to the importance of working out or Exercising or spending time on any physical activity is MUST. Exercising can be of any form - YOGA, aerobics, walking, playing any game/ physical activity- cycling,swimming, dancing, etc. For those who have misconceptions about Exercising, you ought to know one thing - any form of exercise keeps you active throughout the day and not phlegmatic. Exercising increases your basic metabolic rate (BMR) which keeps your digestive system very active as your food gets digested faster. (Generally, BMR is high as soon as you exercise and all that you eat after exercising doesn't get converted into fat. Where as, if you do not exercise, your BMR will remain low - this will lead to digestion problems and most of your food is getting deposited as fat) . Also, losing weight or your body tone up depends on what type of body you have. There are basically three types of bodies Ectomorphic, Endomorphic and Mesomorphic.

1. Ectomorphic : The extreme ectomorph may have long fingers, toes and neck are long. A pencil neck you could say. The features of the face are sharp, and the shape of the face is triangular. The lower jaw is somewhat receding. The skin tends to burn easily. Extreme ectomorphs may suffer from extremes of temperature. Due to the great body area in relation to muscle mass, the ectomorph may suffer from great heat, and due to low body fat, the ectomorph may suffer from great cold. The hair is fine and grows quickly and is sometimes difficult to keep in place.

2.Mesomorphic: The mesomorph has well-defined muscles and large bones. The torso tapers to a relatively narrow and low waist. The bones and muscles of the head are prominent. Features of the face are clearly defined, such as cheek bones and a square, heavy jaw. The face is long and broad, and is cubicle in shape. Arms and legs are developed and even the digits of the hand are muscled.

3.Endomorphic: The body of the extreme endomorph is round and soft. The physique presents the illusion that much of the mass has been concentrated in the abdominal area. This may or may not be true. The arms and legs of the extreme endomorph are short in length and taper. This may give the appearance of stalkiness. The hands and feet of the endomorph are comparatively small, and the upper arms and thighs are often more developed than the lower parts of the arms or legs. The body has a high waist.

So....Now you know which body type you have, so work according to that.

There is no particular schedule for one to follow and it depends on how much you can work out. But, if you want to maintain your figure/physique burn 300 calories per day and if you want to lose weight - "don't starve yourself" - burn 600 calories per day. The count goes like this, Suppose you are consuming a total of 1200-1400 calories per day, you need to burn at least half of how much you consume. Working out thrice a week of four times a week keeps you fit. If you are bored of your routines, change them because if you continue the same routine, you will lose interest. If you are bored of walking on the treadmill, go for aerobics. Cardio-workout will help you keep away from many health problems. Breathing exercises are must because it enables the overall functioning of the body and blood circulation. Also before you start your workout, warm up your body to avoid muscle blocks or sprains. Also, Do not get disappointed or have an inferior feeling looking at someone leaner than you. Remember - he/ she might not have the flexibility which you have being plump. Workout hard and you will see the results accordingly. Do not expect results overnight and be disappointed with your trainer or your routines and keep nagging. You have to have patience to exercise... So love your body, take time to work out and stay fit.OBESITY is a problem and being PLUMP is not!!!!

Eating right is very important. You can eat right without cutting down your favourite food. All you have to do is know what is good for you and what is not. But it all again depends on how much you exercise. DO NOT STARVE YOURSELF - I repeat!!! I'm giving these suggestions after I've gone through various books, articles on magazines and newspapers.

Avoid aerated drinks

Avoid junk food (Once in a while is okay!!)

Avoid food with lots of sugar in it or fried food (Again- once in a while is ok!!!)

Social drinking is ok!! But not regularly (You will also have health problems apart from weight gain)

Avoid smoking - It kills your hunger.

Drink lots of water (It gives a glow on your face and keeps you away from diseases)

If you know you are going out for dinner or lunch to some place and you are going to eat more, then cut down the calories intake of you other meals - instead of rice, have roti or salads - this again doesn't mean to starve yourself.

Avoid eating rice, curds/yoghurt at nights (REASON: During the night, your metabolism is slow, so the rice/curd gets stored in your body as fat)

Eat more salads and fresh fruits and drink fresh fruit juices.

Ice creams, pastries, burgers, pizzas and other junk is okayyy once a month.

Also, the most important thing you have to keep in mind while exercising is.. to ENJOY it. You can do something only if you like it - so like it. Going without food for days or dieting by only having vegetables,fruits is fine but not sufficient - because your body needs fat apart from proteins, vitamins and fibre. So carbohydrates intake is a must in your diet.

Therefore, all you have to do is eat well, exercise well, love your body, feel confident and love yourself for what you are....and STAY HEALTHY, STAY SAFE!!!! :):)

About Me

A self-consciously simple woman, a journalist who loves writing on any issue related to human rights. I love probing further to get to the core of the issues I confront. Empathy and concern for weaker sections of the society helps me write my stories with passion and insight. Winner of the Laadli Media Award for Gender Sensitivity 2013 for the Southern Region. This apart, a naturalist, an ambivert and a humane human.